Logo: to the web site of the Swedish Defence University

 The Swedish Air Force's security forces consist of small units specifically designed to counter security threats including sabotage, espionage, and criminal activity. In times of war, their primary duty is to defend vital air force operations and terrain. Their dimensioning opponent’s airborne forces are believed to have the capacity to airdrop battalions equipped with armored personnel carriers with automatic grenade launchers. As a result, it is likely that these smaller, company-sized units may encounter a more substantial and advanced force.

In 2020, Peter Thunholm and Lars Henåker proposed a theory on land-based tactics called The Ideal Model. This theory consists of seven sequential steps aimed at causing organizational breakdown and ultimately improving the chances of winning a battle. The Ideal Model has been put to the test in 48 mechanized battles using the Swedish Defense University's battle simulator, and the results show that this theory has some explanatory value in mechanized warfare.

This study aims to test Peter Thunholm's and Lars Henåker's theory on non-mechanized battles, specifically on defensive infantry battles, to determine if the Ideal Model is applicable to the Air Force's security forces' defensive tasks during wartime. By analyzing two cases, Goose Green 1982 and Zhawar 1986, this study shows that the Ideal Model has explanatory value on defensive land-based infantry battles at the tactical war level.